Brown cleared to play for Bradley

Times Staff and GateHouse News Service

Thursday

Sep 22, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 22, 2011 at 9:13 PM

After months of physical inactivity, expert medical evaluations and a reconditioning period, Bradley men’s basketball senior forward Taylor Brown has been cleared from a medical standpoint to participate in all basketball related activities for the 2011-12 season.

After months of physical inactivity, expert medical evaluations and a reconditioning period, Bradley men’s basketball senior forward Taylor Brown has been cleared from a medical standpoint to participate in all basketball related activities for the 2011-12 season.

“We welcome Taylor back to the court” Bradley first-year head coach Geno Ford said. “He has been through a difficult experience and we are happy that he is able to rejoin his teammates on the floor and compete for Bradley.”

After spending his first collegiate semester at Bevill State College in Alabama, Brown transferred to Bradley in 2008 and averaged 3.4 points and 3.0 rebounds per game as a redshirt freshman for the Braves in 2008-09. The 6-foot-6 forward pushed those numbers to 13.5 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as a sophomore in 2009-10, when he enjoyed one of the largest individual scoring jumps in the nation and was named the captain of the Missouri Valley Conference Most Improved Team.

A 2010-11 preseason All-MVC honorable mention selection, Brown did not play as a junior. However, he was required to de-condition his body for a three-month period for cardiac testing and then went through a series of tests. He remained inactive until medical experts cleared him to undertake a reconditioning process prior to his complete clearance for all activities.

Brown’s first public return to the court is anticipated to occur Nov. 1 during Bradley’s exhibition contest against Wisconsin-Parkside. Brown will be withheld from the Oct. 18 Red-White Scrimmage for a violation of team rules.

Les, fired from Bradley on March 6 with three years remaining on his contract worth an estimated $425,000 per year, was hired as the California-Davis head coach on May 5. Details of the settlement were not divulged by BU. But Bobby Parker, the school’s assistant athletics director for communications, issued a statement.

“There has been a settlement that resolves all past and possible future issues concerning Jim Les’ employment by UC-Davis,” Parker said. “The details are not being made public.

“Bradley is pleased to settle this issue and focus on the future of our basketball program and our university.”

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